


Operation Save the Savior

by Mama_Sass



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Swan - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:42:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21577021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mama_Sass/pseuds/Mama_Sass
Summary: Just a quick one shot I wrote and oddly never posted.  Emma Swan has become the Dark One and now Killian Jones is left to struggle with all that entails.
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones & Emma Swan, Captain Hook | Killian Jones & Henry Mills, Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan
Kudos: 16





	Operation Save the Savior

_Damn this dagger. Damn this bloody curse._

Killian slammed the point of the jagged knife into the wooden railing of his ship and stepped away from it. He scrubbed his hand over his face, wiping at the tears he had been helpless to keep from escaping his eyes.

 _I love you_.

Those three words, those three simple heartbreaking syllables kept echoing in his mind. The woman he loved and cherished above all things loved him back. She'd finally said it. Then, she'd pushed him away from her to take on the Dark One's curse and disappeared.

_I love you._

He'd spent more than 300 years plotting his revenge on the Dark One, despising the Dark One, fighting the Dark One, and now...... Was it poetic justice or just a curse of his own for him to be be hopelessly devoted and in love with the Dark One? Perhaps he was a villain after all and this was his punishment.

He glared at the dagger again, trying to push down the temptation to summon her, it....them? His heart thumped painfully in his chest. Where had she gone? Why did she vanish? How was he going to free her of the curse if he couldn't find her? So many questions, too many uncertainties. That bloody dagger....he could summon her...them...make them answer all the unknowns....

His hand lifted and gripped the handle just as a voice called out to him. He turned from the railing, walked to the dockside of the ship and looked down.

 _Henry_.

Killian took in a deep, steadying breath as Henry jogged up the walkway and onto the deck.

"Thought you'd prefer the solace of grandparents and your...mother," Killian began awkwardly. He scratched the spot just behind his ear.

Henry nodded slowly, his eyes darting to the dagger. He swallowed, hard, and Killian noted the sheen of tears beginning to form in the boy's eyes before he brought his gaze back to Killian. "I did. I mean, they were all trying to comfort me, but....but then I realized something."

"What's that, lad?"

"David and Mary Margaret have each other to hold onto. My mom has Robin. I....well, I have them all." Henry glanced at the dagger again briefly. "But...you...now that my mom....." His voice broke, and he took a deep breath. "I thought maybe, if you wanted, I could...be here, you know...for you."

Killian felt a deep twist in his gut. So much like his mother...even in his grief, he was thinking about the needs of others. The ache around his heart lessened fractionally as he gave Henry a small, grateful smile.

"Aye, Henry, I could use the company tonight."

Killian turned and walked to the rail to stand in front of the dagger again. Henry stepped up next to him, and they both stared down at the blade....and the name etched upon it.

"Mom..." Henry breathed.

Killian wrapped his arm around Henry's shoulders and gave him a reassuring squeeze. "Your mother is a strong, intelligent, and bloody stubborn woman, Henry," Killian said softly, a new hopefulness blossoming in his chest. "I think the Dark One is going to underestimate her....and her power."

"And the fact that True Love is ultimately going to kick its butt," Henry added. He looked up at Killian and saw the pirate regarding him, one eyebrow raised in askance. "They told me what she said."

Killian let out a huff, then removed his arm to clasp a hand on Henry's shoulder. "Sounds like I have your approval then?"

Henry smiled. "Yeah. You do." Without warning, Henry launched himself at Killian and hugged him tightly around his waist. After a moment of shocked hesitation, Killian hugged him back.

"We'll find her, Henry," he vowed. He gently unlatched himself from Henry's grip so he could look him in the eye. "Because, as your grandfather would say, and I concur, that's what this family does. We find each other. Always."

They shared a determined look then regarded the dagger again.

"Operation Save the Savior," Henry murmured, seemed to consider the sound of it, then nodded. Killian watched the proverbial wheels begin to whirl inside the boy's mind as he embraced their shared quest. Again, so like his mother.

"We've got a lot of work to do," Henry started, a new gleam in his eye. "We need to find Merlin, don't we, like the Apprentice said? He's somewhere far away, which means we've got to find a portal or a map...or both! Maybe we'll find something at the library. Belle will help us..."

He turned abruptly and started charging toward the ramp to the dock, clearly eager to begin.

"Henry, wait," Killian called out. "Aye, we need to do all of that," he reassured the boy when Henry stopped and turned back to him with a frown. "But in the morning. I'm certain everyone needs tonight to rest....perhaps to grieve properly. We'll need the clearest of heads to be effective in helping your mother or we might miss something."

Henry's shoulders slumped but Killian could see that he knew it was for the best. "Tomorrow then."

"Aye, tomorrow." Killian yanked the dagger free, clenched it as he faced Henry again. "And the day after that and every day after until we find Emma and finally rid the world of the Dark One once and for all."

With that promise hanging over them, Killian and Henry headed below deck to find whatever rest they could for the night. A task made easier, Killian noted, now that he was no longer alone and with the realization that, in Henry, a small part of Emma was with him, too.


End file.
